Back to You
by It's The Fear
Summary: Once desperate for an exciting life, Claire now wishes she had anything but. Though they had only known each other for a short amount of time, a friendship like no other was formed between two Raccoon City survivors. With another chapter in their life done, it's time to flip the page and begin anew. But will they be able to move forward with feelings of the past dragging them back?
1. Chapter 1

** Alright guys, I know, this is weird. I haven't written a Resident Evil story in YEARS, but I suddenly had an urge to start up again! Which is actually proving to be a lot harder than I thought it was going to be! I haven't played a Resident Evil game in quite some time, let alone any of the older ones. So if this story seems a little bit weird in the time line, I truly apologize. I did look up a bunch of stuff when I was writing it, just to remind myself, but I'm sure some of it's still going to be a little off. I'm going to try my best to keep it as accurate as possible, but it's likely some things won't completely add up. I just really wanted to write a Claire/Leon story, and I didn't want to just make a smut filled one-shot, so this is it!**

** Drop a review and let me know what you thought of the first chapter! I'd love to get some feedback! So far, this is shaping up to be an experiment to see if I can still even get the characters and timing down, so we'll see how it goes! Hope you guys enjoy it and thanks for clicking on this story!**

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><p><em>When I was growing up, all I had ever dreamed of was one day having an extraordinary life. I would travel around the world and explore for as far as my legs would take me. I would go from town to town, from country to country, searching for something I desperately wanted yet was completely unaware of what exactly it was I was looking for. I guess I always figured that once I'd found it, I'd know.<em>

_ And then, suddenly my world changed. Chris was no longer just my brother. Now he was also my mother and father. It fell on him to finish raising me, to take care of me and make sure I could one day accomplish all I had ever wanted from life._

_ Flash forward many years later, and once again a drastic change would forever alter my life. The dead were rising, desperate for the taste of human flesh. Every time I was unfortunate enough to run into one of them, my short life would flash before my eyes. I wasn't ready to die, I wasn't even close to being ready. I thought of my parents each time I pulled the trigger of my gun. I told them I was going to make it out of hell for them and I promised that I'd one day see them again when I was old and wrinkled and had hundreds of stories to tell from throughout my life._

_ Often, more often than I'd like to admit, when I was finally away from the hungry moaning and tired groaning, I'd find myself nearly consumed by my thoughts. Primarily, I found myself focused on all the things I'd wanted and had never had to chance to achieve._

_ I'd barely even left the country, let alone travel around the world. I was still in university, I hadn't had even had a proper job. Not to mention the fact that I had always wanted a husband and children some day. I couldn't have been further away from that dream. I'd never even been in a serious relationship before. Although I blame Chris for that more than anything._

Claire snapped out of her daydream at the sound of a car pulling up in the driveway. She jumped up in her bed, suddenly sweating profusely as she reached a hand out to the nightstand beside her to find the comforting touch of her handgun. She glanced over at the gun shaking in her palm and became confused at the realization that the weapon was the first thing she reached for. A few years ago, it would have been simply her blanket she had reached for, to throw it away from her body so she could peer out the window to further investigate the noise. And yet, here she was, with a pistol in her hand, ready to fight for her life.

Her bedroom door creaked open and Claire's hands immediately readied themselves for whatever was about to come through the door. The light from the hallway illuminated the shadowy figure enough for a sigh of relief to slip through Claire's dry lips as she lowered her gun.

"Claire." Jill's voice whispered. "Chris just went to see who it was. I'm sure it's nothing."

Chris Redfield was a strong person, hands down the strongest person Claire had ever met. She knew he could take care of himself, despite the situation he was in. But she still couldn't let him go out there by himself. What if they were hostile? Did he go to the door unarmed or was he expecting a fight? Either way, Claire couldn't take any chances. He was the only family she had left.

She bolted from her bed, pistol still in hand, as she rushed past Jill and into the hallway. Claire could hear Jill's footsteps from behind her but focused on getting downstairs to help her brother if he needed it. She had hoped the horrors of the past would never repeat themselves, yet she had also been so convinced of it the night she had managed to escape out of Raccoon City. After all, how could someone have such horrifying experiences multiple times in their lives, right? As luck would have it, she was one of them. She hadn't been able to let her guard down since Chris had brought her home.

She heard the surprise in Chris's voice as she reached the bottom of the stairs. She heard the name he muttered, but no...it wasn't possible. He was off somewhere with the government, wasn't he? Probably some hot shot government agent by now...not standing on her doorstep...right?

And yet there he was, Mr. Kennedy.

"Leon?" Claire squinted her eyes at him as she came to a stop beside Chris.

He looked down at her and couldn't help the smile that spread across his lips.

Chris opened the door further and motioned for Leon to step into the house. Leon did so silently, one hand clutching onto the strap of the backpack resting against him. Chris closed the door and locked it shut, turning to face the younger man.

"Is everything alright? Not that we're not happy to see you, or anything." Chris tried to make light of Leon's unexpected arrival, but he was still nervous to hear what the other man had to say. They had finally just settled into a "normal" life again. Claire was beginning to sleep throughout the night and Chris's nightmares of death had become less frequent. Even Jill's migraines had begun to subside.

"No, no, everything's fine." Leon quickly assured them. "I just...didn't know where else to go."

Jill stepped out from the shadows and smiled at Leon. "Go into the living room and relax. I'll make some coffee."

Leon thanked her for her hospitality as Chris led his friend into the living room. Claire offered to help Jill and followed her to make a fresh pot of coffee. They probably weren't going to be able to get much sleep after seeing Leon's familiar face again, anyway. As happy as they were to always see him, his face brought back so many memories that the three of them would have preferred to forget. Not that it was different when they looked at each other. The memories always fought their way back in, no matter what they happened to be doing or looking at. So many horrifying, scarring memories had been made that nearly everything had become a constant reminder.

"He looks good." Jill said absentmindedly as she refilled the coffee machine.

Claire had her arms crossed over her chest as she leaned against the kitchen counter, her eyes staring off into the distance. "Yeah, he looks fresh as a daisy." She muttered sarcastically.

Jill laughed under her breath and pressed the brew button. She took a seat at the kitchen table and crossed her legs, resting her chin in her hand.

"How does it feel to see him again?"

Claire look at Jill and couldn't even muster up the words to answer her. How was she supposed to feel? She was glad he was here, glad he was safe, but she couldn't help but remember being trapped in a burning Raccoon City with him. But he also reminded her of hope for a future, or determination, of making it out of a situation in which most people would have given up. He meant so many different things to her that she wasn't sure of anything when it came to Leon.

"Good. I'm glad he's okay. I'm just dying to know what he's really doing here."

"Why don't you go find out? I'll bring the coffee once it's done."

"I think I will. Thanks."

Leon stretched out his legs and let out a heavy sigh as Chris took a seat on the reclining chair beside the couch.

"You want a beer?" Chris didn't even give Leon enough time to answer. "I want a beer." He noticed Claire coming towards them and called out to her. "Claire, can you grab us a few beers?"

Claire smiled as she took a seat in the living room. "They're in the kitchen...you remember where the kitchen is, right?"

Chris rolled his eyes and pushed himself out of the chair. "Always have to be such a smart ass, don't you, Claire?"

She waited until he was almost at the kitchen before she spoke. "Hey, Chris, can you grab me a beer, too?"

Leon laughed when he saw the look Chris shot his sister over his shoulder. He remembered Claire telling him how much she loved to bother her big brother. _What's the use of having a big brother if I can't make his life a living hell every once in a while?_, she used to say. Of course, she had used to tell herself that long before they had all found themselves stranded in an actual hell. He wasn't sure what she would say now, but he knew it wouldn't have anything to do with hell.

"How've you been, Leon?"

"I've been alright. What about you?"

Claire shrugged. "I'm okay. I thought you'd be a secret agent by now."

Leon couldn't help but laugh. "Claire, it's only been a few months. I still don't even know if I want to go through with yet."

Claire gave him a confused look. "What? I thought you'd jump at the opportunity. Not a bad start for anyone's career to go into it with one day's experience as a police officer."

"I'm not even sure that day counted as experience as a police officer." He said with a smug smile on his face.

"Well, I'm glad to see Claire's not the only smart ass here." Chris pointed out as he and Jill came into the living room. He handed a beer to Claire, another to Leon and held onto his own as he sat back down. Jill followed suit, clutching a fresh, warm cup of coffee in her hands. He looked over to her and filled her in on Leon's whereabouts.

"How long do you have until you have to tell them your decision?" Jill asked, taking a sip from her mug.

"The first of the month." Leon took a swig of beer and savoured the taste it brushed against his tongue. It seemed forever ago since he had last had a beer and he couldn't believe how good it tasted. Of all the things in the world, he had never thought he would miss the taste of alcohol so much until that moment.

"And you really don't know if you're going to accept or not?" Chris took a swig of beer and watched Leon carefully.

"No, I'm going to accept. I just figured that once I got the job I'd never be around. I guess I sort of wanted to spend some time with you guys before I never see you again."

Chris scoffed. "Like you're going to be able to get rid of us so easily, Kennedy."

"What about your family? Don't you want to see them?" Claire watched Leon carefully as his eyes met hers.

"I was told it would be best not to see them." He said simply.

The room grew silent for a few moments. Technically, his family were civilians in the situation. If the government was involved in recruiting Leon, perhaps it was for the best if they were kept in the dark for the time being. Claire didn't have much experience with the military and the way they conduct themselves, but she came to the conclusion that it sounded about right.

"So..." Chris began. "What you're saying is...we're stuck with you for a month?"

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><p><strong>Thanks a lot for reading! Let me know what you think!<strong>


	2. Close

** I've been horrible with updating this story and I'm so, so sorry! But I finally got the next chapter up! I hope you guys enjoy it and please remember to drop me a review to let me know what you think!**

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><p>Claire yawned loudly as she came downstairs and headed straight for the kitchen. She had been up most of the night but hadn't thought to eat until a few minutes ago. How many nights had gone by without sleep? Surely she could survive one more.<p>

She rubbed her tired eyes as she entered the kitchen, reaching out to refill the coffee machine. She hadn't noticed Leon sitting at the island behind her until he spoke up and nearly gave her a heart attack.

"Good morning to you too, Redfield." He smiled over a steaming cup of coffee.

Claire glared at him over her shoulder and turned back to the coffee machine. She had a spoonful of coffee grinds ready to put into the coffee machine that had already brewed a fresh cup of coffee. She muttered something under her breath as she shoved the spoon back into the coffee bag, set it aside and reached out for a mug. She kept her back turned to Leon as she made her coffee before joining him at the island in the kitchen.

She blew in the mug a few times before finally taking a sip. "How was the couch?" She asked as the caffeine finally hit her.

He shrugged. "It was alright. Chris offered me his bed, but I couldn't do that to him."

Claire smirked. "You're a smart man, Kennedy."

Leon couldn't help the laugh that slipped through his lips. He took a sip of his coffee and felt the warmth against his lips. It was the little things that reminded him he was still alive. "So what have you been up to since we last spoke? How many hearts have you broken?"

"Not nearly as many as I used to. What about you? I bet you're just killing the ladies with this whole secret agent thing. Are they dropping like flies?"

He laughed again. "Yeah. I'm sure they're lining up on your front porch as we speak."

Claire looked over her shoulder and studied Leon's features carefully. "Why haven't you told them you'll take the job yet, Leon? And don't give me that 'I wanted to visit you guys' bullshit. Chris and Jill might fall for that, but I'm not going to." She knew him well enough to know there was more to it than that.

"I don't know. I guess I just wanted a month to live like a normal person before my life changes forever. I can't imagine I'll be able to come over and have a few beers every weekend once I'm working again. Who knows if I'll even be in the country. I just want to have a some time to sit around and do nothing before my life becomes my work."

She could understand that. If you know something is going to be gone forever, wouldn't you want to take some time to enjoy it first? The truth was, no one knew exactly how much time they would have together. Chris and Jill were eventually going to go off on their own to try and bring justice to all the harm that had been done. And who knows where Claire would end up a few years down the road. So why not sit around watching movies and creating memories to last through an uncertain future?

"Alright. You win this time, Leon."

He smirked. "So what are your plans for today?"

Claire stared off into space. "That's a good question." She had originally planned to sit on the couch and watch movies all day. But for some reason, Claire feared Leon wouldn't be as enthusiastic about wasting the day as she had been.

"Claire, didn't you say that you wanted to go for a few pints today?" Jill's voice made both Claire and Leon jump up in their chairs. She smiled at the both of them as she made her way towards the coffee to pour herself a cup.

Claire rolled her eyes. Jill wasn't the best at being subtle and she knew exactly what the other woman was trying to do. "Jill, it's 6:30 in the morning."

"Well, I'm not saying you should go _now_." Jill looked at the younger woman as though she were insane.

Claire was mortified. She knew that Jill was convinced there was something between her and Leon. But there was no need to make it so obvious and awkward.

"I'll go for a few drinks later." Leon suggested. It would be good to get out and just relax for a while with an old friend. After all, that was what he came here for, right?

Jill smiled. "I'll go see if Chris is awake. We can go out for breakfast."

"Welcome home, friend." Claire raised her mug and held it out towards Leon. He laughed under his breath and lifted his cup to knock gently against hers. He hadn't truly missed a normal life until that moment. And just as quickly as it had appeared, Leon found himself wondering what the rest of his life would be if it stayed just like this.

"So, I hear all of this moaning and groaning from Chris's room, and I'm like, 'there's no way he's doing what I think he's doing when he knows I'm home.' At first I thought it could have been a horror movie...but a lot of those sounds were definitely not horror movie related."

Leon hadn't stopped laughing since she began the story. His cheeks hurt from smiling and his stomach was sore from the non-stop laughter erupting from his lips. He pictured the entire scenario as Claire explained it and could just imagine how ridiculously funny it would have been to be there. Especially since it wasn't _his _brother he was overhearing...enjoying himself.

"I go up to his door and I knock on it. I'm like, 'Chris, you know I'm home, right?' And then all of a sudden, the noise stops. It just stops. He doesn't say anything or acknowledge hearing me on the other side of the door, it's just silence. Now, I know Chris, and I know exactly what he's doing on the other. He used to do this thing when we were kids, where he would just freeze and stay perfectly still as if I couldn't see him if he didn't move. Even though he'd be standing there, right in front of me. So, I was standing there, picturing Chris sitting in his computer chair, perfectly still with huge, terrified eyes, just waiting for me to walk away from the door."

Leon burst into another fit of laughter at the thought of Chris in his bedroom looking like a deer caught in the headlights. He would have to remind Chris of the incident when she saw him back at the house later on. Chris always gave Leon a hard time with his haircut, so it was only fair to use this to get back at the older Redfield.

Claire hid the grin on her face behind her pint glass as she finished the remaining beer. She looked at the glass in front of Leon and leaned forward to let him know she was going to head over to the bar to grab them two more. He watched her leave, pint glasses in hand, as she headed to the bar, her ponytail swaying from side her side as she moved. His eyes never left her as he watched her lean in towards the bartender to order two more beers. She took a seat at the bar as she waited for him to pour the drinks, looking around to see the different faces around her.

Leon watched as a man approached her, leaning against the counter as he spoke to her. She smiled at him, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she let out a small laugh. Leon scoffed and eyed the guy up and down. Who the hell did he think he was? If he's talking to her now, Leon was sure he had noticed her over the last little while. Did he not see that she came with Leon?

_Why does it matter? She's not your girlfriend. _As annoying as the voice in the back of his mind was, it was right. Claire wasn't even close to being his girlfriend, so why did it matter if some random guy took interest in her? Before Leon realized what he was doing, he began to study Claire, truly study every inch of her.

She almost always had her hair tied up. Before she met Leon, she used to only tie it up when she was riding her motorcycle. She said she didn't like the way the wind always found a way to knot up her hair when she was out riding and it was loose. But after Raccoon City, it just seemed to stick. _I don't like the thought of someone, or something, reaching out and grabbing a hold of me,_ she used to tell him. It made sense. They had all become a little paranoid since their close encounters with death.

She seemed the same as she always did but something was different and he couldn't put his finger on it. And it was driving him insane. She seemed...older. More mature.

He watched Claire approach the table clutching two beers, a wide grin on her face. She took her seat across from Leon and handed him his beer before she began to imitate the man she had just been speaking to.

"Hey, baby, I got a nice car with your name on it outside. Why don't you come over to my condo and we can get to know each other better." Leon couldn't help but laugh at her ridiculous version of a man's voice. Okay, maybe she wasn't _that _mature.

"So, what's the deal with Chris and Jill?" Leon crossed his arms over one another on top of the table as he leaned forward. He had known for a while that Chris had a thing for Jill. Hell, even if Chris hadn't gone ahead and confided in him Leon would have figured it out. Chris never had a good poker face.

Claire shrugged. "They think I don't know. Always sneaking around and trying to find excuses to be out of the house at the same time. They act like mommy and the gardener in some weird movie."

"Sounds like a rather...adult movie, Claire. Is that what you've been doing nowadays? Researching ways to describe their relationship?"

Claire rolled her eyes and picked up a handful of peanuts she had been munching on from the bowl on the table. She tossed it at Leon and licked the salt off her fingertips.

"I see you still can't be serious for a day of your life." Claire pointed out under her breath.

He smiled at her as he took another sip from his mug but in the back of his mind he couldn't help but realize how wrong Claire was. He used to be carefree at one point of his life, but those days seemed like years ago now. He found himself constantly looking over his shoulder, waiting for something to sneak out from beyond the shadows. Hell, he had problems sitting anywhere with his back exposed. If he could, he would always situate himself so his back was pressed against the wall. It was a blind spot he never left for chance.

"So what are your plans for the rest of the day? As in, where can I tag along to?" Leon had no problem with spending hours in a bar with good company. But he felt anxious here. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something was making him uncomfortable. _Why, because some guy hit on Claire? _He silenced the voice in the back of his mind and wrote it off as a ridiculous thought.

"To be completely honest with you, I didn't have anything planned for today. Well, I mean, I did, but I don't think it's something you'll want to do." The complete truth was that Raccoon City had changed her. She used to be outgoing and friendly, meeting new people wherever she went. She was hardly ever alone. But in such a short time, so much had changed. She had secluded herself from all of her friends and had taken on a life of near solitude. It just seemed easier to avoid getting close to another person. The horrors of her past had taught her how much it hurt to see the ones you care for die in front of you. So whenever she got the chance, Claire would opt for a night in with a bunch of movies or missed episodes of her favourite shows. It just seemed to make everything easier.

Leon eyed her suspiciously. "What?"

"I was going to park my ass on the couch and watch a bunch of movies." She held her breath and waited for him to tease her. But, like he always did, Leon surprised her.

"That actually sounds pretty good to me." He swallowed the remainder of his beer and set his pint glass down in front of him. "Whenever you're ready."

Chris and Jill were already out of the house by the time Claire and Leon returned. Not that it would have mattered if they were there, anyway. It was harmless, just two old friends hanging out and watching movies. So then why did tension suddenly fill the air?

Claire pulled her legs into her chest, wrapping her arms around them as she settled in under the blanket. Leon had the other half of it stretched across his less as he leaned back into the couch, watching the opening credits displayed on the screen.

"Are you sure this is a good movie? It only got one star..." Leon was suddenly doubting his decision to let Claire pick the movie. He couldn't tell if she had really bad taste in movies or if she was doing this on purpose just to piss him off. Either way, he wasn't very impressed.

"That's the beauty of it, Leon. Movies that are poorly made are the best! Believe me, you're going to thank me after watching this movie." Claire leaned closer to him and shoved him gently with her elbow.

Leon laughed under his breath and reached an arm over her shoulder, pulling her closer towards him. Neither of them said anything as Claire cuddled into Leon, resting her head against his chest. His fingertips danced against the blanket covering her arm as a small smile spread across Claire's lips.

No matter how long they spent apart, once they were reunited it was as if they had been together all along. She didn't feel comfortable with many people, but with Leon she always did. She had seen him in action back in Raccoon City. She ran beside him as he fearlessly explored the fallen city that had been taken over by the dead. He was level-headed, calm in distress and was always there for her whenever she needed him. They trusted each other with their lives but was it possible to trust the other with more?

Claire leaned her head back and looked up at Leon. She could see the scruff of his beard coming in and briefly imagined how it would feel against her skin. Prickly, she assumed. Truth be told, it had been so long since she let a man touch her that she had nearly forgotten what it felt like.

Leon glanced down at her, as if he had read her thoughts. The living room was dimly lit, the lights switched off completely. But the light from the television lit up Claire's face just enough for her to nearly taking his breath away. When did this happen? When was Claire Redfield the one who took his breath away? The last time he had seen her he had messed up her hair as though she had been one of his friends. And now, he suddenly couldn't breathe.

She murmured his name. He heard it call him and he couldn't resist any further. The next thing he knew, his lips were planted on the girl from Raccoon City.


	3. Remedy

**Hey guys! Just wanted to take a minute to say thanks for reading this story and I hope you enjoy the new chapter! Don't forget to drop a review and let me know what you think!**

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><p>It took a few moments for Leon's mind to fully register what was happening. The moment he felt her tongue against his, Leon knew he had crossed a line he shouldn't have. He jumped back, startling Claire.<p>

"Shit." Leon cursed under his breath. He repeated the words a few times before Claire finally interrupted him.

"Yeah, that's the reaction every girl wants a guy to have after he kisses her." She rolled her eyes.

"No, it's not that. It's just...Chris. Damnit, Chris is going to kill me." Leon didn't have the option of seeing Chris as often as he used to but he still considered him to be his best friend. They had been through so much horror that it had instantly formed a friendship Leon had never imagined having. He trusted the older Redfield with his life, and here he was, going behind his back and kissing his little sister. Chris would kill him if he ever found out.

Claire rolled her eyes again, despite the fact that she knew Leon was right. Chris had never been a fan of Claire dating, though as she grew older he had no other choice but to accept it. However, that didn't mean Chris had any intention of making it easy for the poor bastard to date his sister. The first unfortunate soul to try and date Claire had been Todd, a quiet kid that she had a class with during her final year of high school. They had been lab partners and it didn't take long for both of them to realize the unspoken attraction between them.

She could remember the night he came to pick her up for prom as though it had happened yesterday. She had specifically told him that she would meet him outside of the house and far away from Chris. But Todd hadn't listened to her and rang the doorbell. By the time Claire had finally come downstairs, it was too late. Todd was as white as a ghost and barely talked to her for the remainder of the night.

To this day, Claire still had no idea what Chris had said to her date, despite her many failed attempts to get the truth out of her brother. She knew that she should have made Leon swear to her that the kiss would stay between them, but as she sat there staring at him, she realized that she didn't want to fight herself any longer.

When she had first run into Leon in a destroyed Raccoon City, she had been relieved that she wasn't the last survivor. They parted ways shortly after meeting, but knowing he was somewhere in the city gave her a sense of hope for the future. It eased her nerves slightly to know that there was someone else out there, fighting for survival. She clung to that thought from the moment she laid eyes on him until the very end of the nightmare they had found themselves trapped in.

She would be lying if she said that she had never thought of getting to know Leon on a more intimate level. When she had run into him in the S.T.A.R.S. Headquarters, she had to fight against the urge to rip his uniform off right then and there. For all she had known, they both could have perished along with the rest of Raccoon City's residents that night. But she managed to control her urges and focus on the more important matter at hand, escaping the city alive.

When they parted after leaving the city, Claire had been sure she would never see him again. She shrugged off the idea of any sort of future with him and began to repair all the damage that had been done to her and the ones she loved. But the distance that had grown between them failed to dispel the countless dreams and thoughts she had of him. Whenever she laid her head down at night, it was always his face that haunted her. Growing up, Claire had often seen her brother in a military or police uniform of some kind. She had never found them to be attractive, most likely because they always seemed to remind her of Chris. But the image of Leon in his police uniform had been burned into her mind and just like that, she no longer related the uniform to her overprotective brother.

All this time, Claire had always wondered what Leon would say to her if she had tried to make a move on her. She always convinced herself that he would push her away, maybe even laugh at the thought of her being interested in him and thinking she had a chance. Claire had never thought that she was much to look at and acted like too much of a tomboy for Leon to look twice. She had always pictured him with a leggy blonde and she couldn't have been further from that.

And yet here they were.

"Sorry, I think I should go." Leon got to his feet and began patting his pockets to make sure he had everything with him. He stopped when he heard laughter erupt from Claire's lips.

"And just where exactly are you going to go, Kennedy? You're staying with us, remember?"

"I'm staying with the person who's going to murder me...wonderful." Leon sat back down with a sigh. "I promised Chris..." The moment the words slipped through his lips, Leon cursed himself silently. He remained silent and hoped Claire hadn't hear the words he had just muttered under his breath.

"I'm sorry, you promised Chris what exactly?" Claire rose an eyebrow, suddenly intrigued.

Leon groaned. He knew Claire and he knew she would never let this go. She would hound him relentlessly until she got the information she wanted. He knew that much from the last time he had tried to keep something from her. She was stubborn as hell, just like her brother. Once she had her mind set on something, there was almost no stopping her.

"I promised Chris I would never...do anything...with you." He felt like a teenager all over again.

"What? He made you _promise_ that? What the hell is wrong with him?"

"He wants to keep you safe, Claire. He wants to protect you. That's all." He knew exactly where Chris was coming from.

"I swear to God...when he gets home..." Chris had sacrificed a lot to move back home once their parents died. He had given her a place to live and food to eat, raising her on his own since she was fifteen. It had never been easy, but Chris had never wavered from becoming her guardian. He had tried his best to protect her from everything, not knowing that one day she would walk straight into hell for him.

"Uh, no, you're not going to say anything to him." Claire shot Leon an annoyed look. "He isn't going to very thrilled if he knows I told you that."

Claire threw her hands up in defeat. "Alright, fine, I won't say anything. You know what I am going to do, though?"

"What?"

"Order a pizza and some wings, because I'm starving!" She got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen to sort through the stack of take out menus.

Leon sighed and let his body relax against the couch. _Just act cool. You didn't do anything wrong. It was just a kiss, that's all. _Yet no matter how much Leon tried to reassure himself, he knew he would be in for an ass kicking if Chris were to ever find out.

"Now, that's what I call good timing." Claire smiled happily as she watched Chris and Jill come through the front door with her food in hand.

"Perfect timing, considering the fact that the delivery guy thought Chris had ordered it and asked him to pay." Jill laughed as she set the wings down on the kitchen table.

"Yeah, so, I guess dinner's on me." Chris set the pizza down and opened the box, grabbing the first slice.

After they had eaten, Chris had excused himself and stepped into the backyard to have a quick smoke. It wasn't something he was proud of, but it had been a habit he hadn't been able to kick. Claire and Jill had accepted Chris's smoking but had refused to allow him to smoke inside the house. He normally didn't put up much of a fight, but when the night air was cold and bitter, he resented ever picking up a cigarette in the first place.

"Can I bum one of those off you?"

Chris glanced over his shoulder when he heard Leon's voice. He laughed under his breath and took another puff from his cigarette. "You don't smoke, Kennedy." He reminded the younger man.

Leon dug his hands into his pockets and looked off into the distance. "Yeah, I know. Just thought I'd come out and get some fresh air."

Chris scoffed. "Fresh air or you couldn't handle being alone with those two?"

Laughter erupted from inside the house and drew a smile from Chris. No matter how dark his thoughts were, the moment he heard his little sister or his old partner laugh it instantly lightened his mood. Their laughter was like a ray of light emerging from a seemingly endless tunnel that was shrouded in darkness. It reminded him of all that was left in the world to protect and pushed him to keep going in moments where he felt like giving up. He would go to hell and back if it meant he could hear that sound one last time.

"Alright, you got me. I came out here to warn you that the alcohol broken free from captivity and that you should probably come back inside to stop those two before all hell breaks loose."

Chris smirked and took one final puff before dropping his cigarette to the ground. He patted Leon on the shoulder. "Welcome home, Kennedy. Now, let's go do some shots."


End file.
